Disclaimer: I am not Tolkien
AN: We'll be skipping around a bit this chapter I'll try and make the POV's and scene changes clear. Please review and let me know what you think!
Happy Reading!
Chapter 9: Reunions
Legolas had been abnormally quiet since the battle with the Uruk-hai. Gimli may not have been the biggest fan of the elf (he WAS a dwarf after all and the brats father HAD held his father prisoner) but the change in him was slightly disheartening. Boromir's death came as a bit of a shock to all of them but Legolas looked almost as if the event had personally wounded him. Maybe the Elf had been closer to the Gondorian than he'd known? Then his expression would occasionally lighten and Gimli had the sneaking suspicion that the elf was thinking of their pretty little friend who'd been left behind in the Lady's forest. While Gimli was never one to begrudge a fellow his thoughts about a woman, there were surely more appropriate times to be pining than during and ork hunt.
Even contemplative as he was, Legolas was outpacing the dwarf and rangers easily. Gimli couldn't help but mutter to himself about how unnatural the stamina of elves was. The dwarf pumped his legs a bit faster driven by the hope of catching up to wayward hobbits.
Aragorn had stopped again and was listening to the vibrations in the earth. "Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" Gimli silently wondered what exactly they'd been doing for days on end if not hurrying.
"Come on Gimli!" The elf shouted as he shot ahead again. Well at least Aragorn's news had broken the elf out of his contemplation.
Annoyed at their pestering Gimli bit out a reply "Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." He heard the ranger snort in response and forced his short legs to move a bit quicker. If he was alive when all of this was over he was never running again.
Sometime later Aragorn dropped to his knees in the trampled path the Uruk-hai had left and fished a leaf broach out of the turned earth. "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall."
The elf approached the stricken ranger "They may yet be alive" Gimli knew it was a naïve hope but he really wanted the elf to be right. Merry and Pippin were good companions and their loss would grieve him.
Apparently Legolas's words were enough to galvanize the man and he stood "Less than a day ahead of us. Come." The three took off in direction of the monsters trail.
"Come! Gimli we are gaining on them!" The elf looked far too amused at the dwarf's struggles.
"I am wasted on cross country. We Dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances!" His companions laughed ahead of him and he smiled slightly. He had a feeling that if they didn't take the small opportunities at happiness they found now the future was going to be bleak indeed. He caught up to the two taller males at the top of the next ridge.
"Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords. There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us." When the man said things like that Gimli was forcefully reined that the king-in-waiting had some elf blood in him. Such profound insight was eerie to practical creatures like dwarves. The dwarf's keen eyes caught the elf bringing a hand to the pocket on his pack and pull out a small scroll of parchment before returning it as if to remind himself that it was still there. Legolas had run a bit ahead and was staring into the distance with his superior eyesight to scout ahead before the dwarf could ask him about it. "Legolas what do your Elf-eyes see?"
"The Uruk's turn northeast. They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard!" Gimli froze. A war party of Uruk-hai they may be able to handle. A wizard gone mad and allied with Mordor they most certainly could not.
Aragorn muttered the wizards name to himself clearly thinking along the same lines as Gimli. The two concerned males went to follow the elf. They could only hope they would catch up to the party before they made it too close to the wizard.
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Legolas couldn't decide what to think or feel or believe. Such mental disquiet was out of character for him and for elves as a race. His mind bounced from Nina, to Boromir's death, to Nina, and back to Boromir. She'd said he would hate her the next time he saw her. Was this what she meant? Certainly she'd left out quite a bit of information he'd have liked to know but he was an elf, he understood that some things happened for a reason and could not be avoided even by those with foresight. Then there was the message she'd entrusted to him. He'd checked to make sure it was still secure when Aragorn had mentioned they were in Rohan. If Nina was to believed (which at this point there was no doubt she saw their path truly) he'd be running into the King's nephew soon. She'd mentioned something about not trying to kill him and he dismissed it as one of her odd jokes. What possible reason could he have for trying to kill such a man?
Beyond her mysterious words and the message she'd given him there was the matter of the kiss. He'd been so shocked at her action he'd been unable to move or speak or respond in any way and then she'd run off and placed the Lady of Light as a barrier between them. For a moment he'd thought perhaps she regretted it but the blush and trace of longing he'd seen in her face just before the boat had turned out of sight was enough to negate that theory.
Elven women weren't usually so… forward. Not that he had any problems with Nina making such a move but Legolas was now trying to figure out what he should do when he next saw her and she'd implied that they'd be meeting up soon. The sound of hoof beats heading towards them was enough to break him from his musings. He joined his companions behind a nearby boulder and waited for the party to pass before Aragorn stepped out and called to the Rohirim, "Riders of Rohan. What news from the mark?" The reaction of the horsemen was decidedly unfriendly
Now surrounded by spear brandishing riders Legolas began to understand Nina's vague cautionary advice. Their leader came forward and addressed them suspiciously "What business does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"
Gimli of course took offence to the brisk attitude of the man. "Give me your name horsemaster and I shall give you mine." Some times Legolas wondered if the dwarf was trying to aggravate all those around him. It was no wonder elves had a distaste for his kind in general.
"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." The man stared down at Gimli menacingly.
Annoying of not, Legolas couldn't allow this man to threaten his companion "You would die before your stroke fell." His bow was trained directly at the leader's neck and the spears moved closer in response. Aragorn immediately told him to stand down and he reluctantly dropped his arm.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli son of Gloin and Legolas of the woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden your King." Aragorn tried to appease the now irate leader of the horsemen.
"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin." Mentally, Legolas cursed. So Nina's warning had been serious. How would he convince the man to take the message now that he'd basically threatened the man's life? Saruman has poisoned the mind of the King and claimed lordship over his lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished. The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked, and everywhere his spies slip past our nets." Clearly the man did not trust them.
"We are no spies. We track a party of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive." The man who must be Eomer looked mildly surprised at this revelation.
"The Uruk's are destroyed; we slaughtered them during the night." When he did not mention finding the hobbits Legolas felt concern being to fill him. They could not lose Merry and Pippin.
Gimli was clearly thinking along the same lines as he questioned the man, "But there were to hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?"
Aragorn, clearly seeing the confusion at the word hobbit, explained "They would be small, only children to your eyes." It seemed their little group had become so accustomed to the shirelings that they'd forgotten most other people didn't even know what a Halfling was.
Eomer's response was apologetic "We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." The finality of the statement was dismaying.
"Dead?" Gimli's question wasn't really directed at anyone but Eomer answered him anyway.
"I am sorry" Legolas felt compelled to offer the dwarf some form of comfort and patted his shoulder awkwardly. His already overburdened mind not quite accepting the idea that it may have all been for nothing. Eomer whistled shrilly and Legolas tried not to wince as his sensitive ears rung sharply. "Hasufel, Arod. May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." Eomer moved to mount his horse again and Legolas seized his chance.
"Wait!" The man froze and turned back to him mirroring the surprised looks he was receiving form his two companions. "In our travels we encountered one of my kind with the gift of foresight she asked me to pass this along should I find myself in Rohan speaking to the King's nephew. You are Eomer, correct." The man looked startled to see the elf speak his name and reached out to take the offered missive. He unrolled the paper and read for a moment f=before his eyes flashed up to meet Legolas again.
"How confident are you that she sees and speaks the truth?" Whatever Nina had put on the scroll was enough to shake the man clearly.
"Elves do not lie and Nina sees the paths of the future clearly. If she has advised you, you should heed her warning." Eomer nodded absently and mounted his horse.
"The river settlements are under attack from wild men. We ride east!" He shouted to his company before turning to the three companions. "Thank you. Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It is forsaken in these lands." With that the company thundered off in a direction different than they'd been headed when they came across the companions.
Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas loaded themselves on their borrowed horse and headed for the distant smoke of the Uruk's pyre. When Aragorn tracked the Hobbits away from the slaughter and into Fangorn Forest Legolas couldn't help but wonder if the quick death of the battle might have been better than the dangers of the wild forest. Even an elf such as himself had a healthy respect for such a place. Fangorn was old and the elves of ages past had begun the changes that eventually left the entire forest sentient. As they stood on the edge of the treeline, releasing their horses to roam freely and perhaps return to their home Legolas listened to the trees speaking to each other in wonder.
With a final glance at each other the three men breached the treeline and doggedly followed the little indications that hobbits had passed though. If Merry and Pippin were still alive, the fellowship would find them.
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The hobbits had been delighted to see Gandalf and Nina. Nina personally thought that had something to do with the fact that Gandalf confirmed that they were, in fact, Hobbits and should not be harmed. They'd had a chance to talk, eat, and rest for a few hours before Gandalf asked Treebeard to take the young hobbits home. When they'd protested Nina had whispered to Merry that "perhaps they just need a little perspective. Let it never be said that the stubbornness of Hobbits fail to sway an Ent." Of course the hobbit didn't understand yet but she knew he'd figure it out eventually. They'd gone willingly after Gandalf and Nina promised that they would meet again.
Almost a day later the trees were acting up again. There was a second intrusion in the forest. Clearly the Fellowship had come. Nina had spoken with Gandalf of her plans after the hobbits had left the previous evening. She was not supposed to be there at this particular reunion so she'd go collect the horses and meet them in the valley. The horses were waiting in the valley by the edge of the forest closest to Edoras as they'd been unwilling to pass the borders of Fangorn, not that Nina blamed them. As she trekked to meet them she kept her bow at the ready; the forest was too alive for her to feel comfortable as she had in Caras Galadhon. When she finally broke through the cover of the trees she let out a sigh of relief and made for the crest of the hill to gaze into the small valley.
Maybe a mile away from her vantage point she saw not two, but four, horses grazing by the river. The borrowed Rohirim horses had come, that was convenient. Nina strolled down to meet them and lovingly ran her hands over Tala who affectionately butted her head against her shoulder. She fished an apple out of her pack for each of the horses and then set herself against a large rock in the shade to wait for her companions to catch up. The sudden alertness of the horses was her queue to look up at the forest. She smiled widely at the three shocked and one amused figures staring at her.
"What-How- Ah lass it's good to see you!" The affectionate speech of the dwarf was surprising to say the least but she returned his words with a soft smile.
"I told you we'd be meeting up sooner than you'd think." She teased him. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you more about Boromir, and the Hobbits, and Gandalf. It's just; everything needs to happen in the right order with perfect timing or it all falls down around us." Those words were clearly mostly directed at Legolas who was still staring at her but it was Aragorn who spoke next.
"It is all right Nina, we understand. Are we camping here for the night?" He gave her a quick half hug of welcome as he checked the sun continued progress in sinking behind the horizon.
"We'll set out at first light tomorrow. You all need some rest before we get back on the road." Gandalf confirmed before setting his pack down and going to speak with Shadowfax who look a bit put out that the wizard had greeted her before him. Legolas still hadn't said anything and Aragorn and Gimli took it upon themselves to find some fallen branches to get a fire going.
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Tala broke the uncomfortable silence between the two elves and she trotted over to investigate the newcomer. The nosey, spirited mare shoved her nose directly in his face and Nina laughed. "Tala, it's rude to stare." The mare turned to eye its mistress before snuffing at the ellon's hands and pack, clearly hoping for a treat. "Come here greedy, I have what you're looking for." Nina produced another apple form her pack and let Tala take it from her and trot away with her prize.
"She liked you." She told the amused ellon in front of her. He laughed and Nina could practically feel the sound make her tense muscles relax.
"I take it she belongs to you? He sat down next to her nonchalantly and Nina wondered if he'd put her behavior at their last meeting out of his mind. Maybe they could pretend like nothing had happened.
"Haldir's loaning her to me. I had a horse just like her back in my world. Same spirit; my Grace was a brat too." She smiled sadly. Grace was one of the only things she really missed from her old home. She was a good horse though and Nina was sure the stable owner had found her a new rider.
"Do you travel with us to Edoras in the morning?" Legolas asked, breaking her from her thoughts. She looked up at him and smiled. She really had missed him a frightening amount.
"I'll be with all of you until Gandalf goes to find Eomer. You gave him my message right?" She'd almost forgotten she'd given it to him.
Legolas's sheepish smile made her wonder if she'd taken her advice regarding that particular interaction. "He has it. Though he wasn't entirely sure he could trust me after I threatened to kill him..." He trailed off at Nina's laugh. Perhaps she should have been more specific with her warning on that one but so many turning points were tied to details that she'd been leery of giving away too much information.
"Well, either way a lot of villagers are going to live that would have died. And we did need the riders to slow you down a bit. Merry and Pippin need to be on their own with Treebeard for this next bit." She smiled at the thought of two hobbits inspiring a whole gang of tree-herder's to go to war.
"What are you plotting now?" He asked, nudging the smiling elleth's shoulder. Her eyes flicked back to meet his and she grinned.
"Merry and Pippin are the catalysts to Saurman's defeat. By the time we see them again, they'll have pulled off the biggest stunt of their lives. The Ents are going to war Legolas." Her grin grew wider as the elf's face went blank with shock. "I wish I could have told you all of this would happen when we were in Lothlorien." Of course, even the name of her new home brought up memories of their last interaction there and she immediately averted her eyes.
Legolas meanwhile had interpreted her refusal to meet his eyes as shame and turned her face by the chin. "You cannot control everything Nina. I know that. I cannot hold what must come to pass against you" He saw a small bit of relief in her eyes but not as much as he thought he would if he'd calmed her fears. Was she worried about something else? He still hadn't figured out how to address the topic of her kiss so he jumped at the chance to delay that conversation by calming whatever fears were plaguing her. "What has you so troubled, little one?"
Nina was silent for a long moment before flicking her gaze around them as if checking to see if anyone was listening. Finally she spoke and Legolas felt like the ground had dropped out from under him, "I am just relieved that we can still be friends. I have been worried that we wouldn't be able to talk like this after my behavior in Lothlorien…" she broke his gaze and turned away from him as she blushed.
Serves him right for trying to avoid the subject. Of course she was worried about it! He hadn't done anything to make her feel secure in the reception of her affections. This wasn't really the place, time, or privacy he required to have this conversation with her at length but he had to do something to bridge to awkward distance he felt growing between them.
Legolas turned her face towards him again, making her meet his eyes. "There was nothing wrong with your behavior in Lothlorien" he said softly before placing a soft kiss on top of her head as her pulled her into an embrace. IT was an innocent enough action that he felt comfortable with the contact in view of their companions but he hoped Nina understood his meaning. Judging from how quickly she returned his embrace and the smile he could practically feel forming on her face Legolas was satisfied that he had resolved the issue until they could speak alone. Nina let out a content sigh and leaned more fully into him, clearly satisfied to stay in that position until Gimli called for them to come eat supper.
AN: longer than the last one. Next chapter will be up soon hopefully! Please review and let me know what you think!
